Coinbase expands in Europe with acquisition of BUX Cyprus subsidiary

Coinbase has acquired the Cyprus unit of BUX, a European brokerage once known as Stryk, and wasted no time rebranding it as Coinbase Financial Services Europe. This is a calculated step toward dominating the European Economic Area (EEA).

The acquisition isn’t about poaching customers though, reportedly. BUX had already moved its Cyprus-based clients over to AvaTrade, a separate CFD broker. This deal is all about the license—specifically, the Cyprus Investment Firm (CIF) license.

Coinbase targets institutional players with its new Cyprus license

Let’s talk about why this license matters. CFDs are a big deal in financial markets. They let traders speculate on the price movement of assets without actually owning them.

But here’s the thing. Coinbase isn’t gunning for your average retail trader with this setup. The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) has already approved the domain “coinbase.com/international-exchange/europe,” but it’s not live yet.

Industry rumor is that Coinbase is planning to target professional and institutional clients. Think hedge funds, big-money players, and trading firms—not the average guy holding a few Bitcoins.

This deal also lines up perfectly with Coinbase’s playbook. The company has been systematically tackling Europe’s regulatory minefield since 2018 when they launched localized platforms in multiple countries.

By 2020, the company ramped up compliance efforts. Though this wasn’t optional. Europe’s regulators were breathing down crypto firms’ necks.

In 2021, Coinbase Pro, their advanced trading platform, launched in Europe. Fast forward to 2022, and the company began offering staking and crypto rewards to European users. They even threw in educational tools for investors who wanted to up their game.

By 2023, Coinbase was fully engaged with European regulators, prepping itself for MiCA’s new standards. Late 2024 was a turning point. In November, Coinbase shut down its USDC yield program in Europe, citing MiCA regulations. Then, in December, they axed unauthorized stablecoins to stay compliant.

Land a High-Paying Web3 Job in 90 Days: The Ultimate Roadmap